# MacArthur smoking metal



## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

Submitted for your consideration. Big Mac with one of Texas' greatest sons, Admiral Chester Nimitz. This may or may not be a Falcon, but it is definately a metal pipe he is holding. Interesting photo, I think.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

Can't see picture


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

It might be this one

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=8373


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Wow! I was thinking the Falcons came out in the 50s, but it was 1936!


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## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

Humph.. I can see it. Wonder what went wrong? Yep, Derrick, that one's it!


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

I couldn't see it either, and then I attached the picture in my post and all the sudden Kevin's picture showed up too, but if I closed the tab with the MacArthur pic in it and refreshed the puff tab both pictures vanished. That was why I linked to the actual site.


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## mike t (Oct 21, 2008)

that pipe looks more like a kirsten


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

Gen Mac was a pretentious a$$ but the man new his military strats. Usuallly see him smoking dublins so this is a cool pic. I have yet to get a metal pipe but need to find the right one. Anyone selling one? I would be interested. thanks


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Firedawg said:


> Gen Mac was a pretentious a$$ but the man new his military strats.


Well, until Korea anyway...


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

MarkC said:


> Well, until Korea anyway...


Korea it seemed the Whitehouse reigned him in so much he didnt really have any control. However he was getting to big for his britches than so it had to be done I guess. Schwartzkopf is my Idol.


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## InsidiousTact (Dec 3, 2010)

Firedawg said:


> Korea it seemed the Whitehouse reigned him in so much he didnt really have any control. However he was getting to big for his britches than so it had to be done I guess. Schwartzkopf is my Idol.


Agreed, he could've won Korea handily if he was allowed to IMO. He truly is one of the great generals in the world's history.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Big Mac certainly had some big successes in WW2 (and some pretty big failures at the beginning of the war as well, truth be told) and he was brilliant in Korea at first, but let's face it he seriously misread Chinese intentions and then was basically paralyzed when they attacked in force and Truman and the Joint Chiefs refused to allow him to start WW3. Considering how much we had drawn down our forces since the end of WW2, even with the Bomb we were in no position to take on the Chinese in a wider war in Asia when we also faced overwelming Soviet strength arrayed against our extremely limited forces in Western Europe. 

Based on MacArthur's alarmist reports after the Chinese invaded North Korea the Joint Chiefs considered pulling our troops out and abandoning Korea completely until Ridgway arrived on the scene and reported things weren't as grim as MacArthur was projecting. Good thing we had Ridgway to send over there to pull things together and stabilize the situation. Now there was one bad a$$ fightin' general.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

My grandpa's brother was one of the chosin frozen.
Want me to ask his opinion on the subject?


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

cp478 said:


> My grandpa's brother was one of the chosin frozen.
> Want me to ask his opinion on the subject?


I for one would _*love*_ to hear his opinion! They don't call it the Forgotten War for nothing. Was he with 1st Marine? Those unfamiliar with the Chosin Frozen might want to check out this link:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/brotherhood/chosin.html


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

He was 16 year old marine and shot three times and crawled miles to get himself out. Once he made it back stateside he tried to sign up for the army.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

cp478 said:


> He was 16 year old marine and shot three times and crawled miles to get himself out. Once he made it back stateside he tried to sign up for the army.


Amazing story! Unfortunately we're losing too many of these brave men every day without their stories ever being recorded. I've always been deeply moved by this photo of a soldier during the battle:










and the story recounted on the web page I cited in my previous post. For those of you unfamilar with the story when the LIFE photographer took this picture during the battle (which seemed hopeless) he asked the soldier what he wanted for Christmas. His reply: "Give me tomorrow."

Some times we forget how good we've got it.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

He now lives several hours away and unfortunately I dont get to talk to him.
He reminds me so much of Clint Eastwoods character in Gran Torino. A no nonsense hard nosed s.o.b.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

cp478 said:


> He now lives several hours away and unfortunately I dont get to talk to him.
> He reminds me so much of Clint Eastwoods character in Gran Torino. A no nonsense hard nosed s.o.b.


If you ever have a chance to talk to him, or if you know someone who lives nearby who could, it would be something special if his memories could be recorded if he is willing to talk about them. The Veterans History Project is set up to store these oral histories for future generations and scholars. Here's a link:

http://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

My grandpa was in the army and was stationed at a train station in Japan. He only talks about playing football with Doc Blanchard. One of his brothers as I mentioned was at chosin.
The other brother was in the air force and I havent heard his stories at all and unfortunately he has already passed away. So his stories are now lost.

They truly were an amazing generation, and I don't think we will see the likes again!


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

cp478 said:


> The other brother was in the air force and I havent heard his stories at all and unfortunately he has already passed away. So his stories are now lost.
> 
> They truly were an amazing generation, and I don't think we will see the likes again!


This reminded me of the following. Not the best song perhaps, but the feelings are right on the mark.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

YouTube - Sgt MacKenzie - We Were Soldiers Soundtrack with Lyrics


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Edited to delete.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

also deleted since I was quoting Marks deleted post...


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Firedawg said:


> Korea it seemed the Whitehouse reigned him in so much he didnt really have any control. However he was getting to big for his britches than so it had to be done I guess. Schwartzkopf is my Idol.


Truman had to reign him in; he'd already blown the war to the point that the only way to win it was to start slinging nukes, which he was more than willing to do. Truman earned his reputation in WWII; in Korea he tarnished that reputation severely.


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## InsidiousTact (Dec 3, 2010)

That's really... I don't know how to express it but I guess I feel awe, pride and love. If nothing else, nobody can say they don't respect those who've served.

My grandpa on my step-dad's side served in Korea. He lied about his age to get in, then got captured early on. They stuck him in a tiny cage, the bars froze to his back over winter. My (step)dad only found out about all this when he wrote a report for school on the Korean war and asked his dad to check it to see what he thought. My grandpa just told him it was a good paper, but that Korea was cold. Later that night my grandma told him about what happened. What a way to find something like that out...


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

indigosmoke said:


> also deleted since I was quoting Marks deleted post...


Oops...sorry 'bout that!


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

MarkC said:


> Oops...sorry 'bout that!


No problem. I just said you managed to say in one witty sentence what it took me two boring paragraphs to say.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

InsidiousTact said:


> That's really... I don't know how to express it but I guess I feel awe, pride and love. If nothing else, nobody can say they don't respect those who've served.
> 
> My grandpa on my step-dad's side served in Korea. He lied about his age to get in, then got captured early on. They stuck him in a tiny cage, the bars froze to his back over winter. My (step)dad only found out about all this when he wrote a report for school on the Korean war and asked his dad to check it to see what he thought. My grandpa just told him it was a good paper, but that Korea was cold. Later that night my grandma told him about what happened. What a way to find something like that out...


My grandpa also fudged his age to join up. Unbelievable is all I can say about what your grandpa went through.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

YouTube - The Battleof Chosin Reservoir


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

YouTube - The Chosin Reservoir Campaign: Frozen Chosin


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